Is it Alzheimer's or the Thyroid

Read the complete article at the Alzheimer's Reading Room.

I wish I could shout this from the mountain top: "when Alzheimer's or dementia present themselves get the thyroid checked".

100 Million Adults Touched by Alzheimer's

HBO Alzheimer's Project / Harris Interactive Census

Read more on this topic.

Alzheimer's Reading Room: 100 Million Adults Touched by Alzheimer's

Are Alzheimer's Caregivers the Forgotten?

clipped from www.alzheimersreadingroom.com Forty percent of Alzheimer's caregivers end up suffering from depression. Do you want to see this happen to a loved one or friend? Like it or not, if you are a family member or friend of an Alzheimer's caregiver and you are not helping them--you have abandoned them. I am sure this sounds harsh. But, it's not even close to the harshness of your own behavior. Alzheimer's is a sinister disease--it kills the brain of the person suffering from Alzheimer's. And, it will try to kill the brain of the Alzheimer's caregiver.

The Alzheimer's Project -- Caregivers

By now most of you have heard about the HBO Documentary--The Alzheimer's Project.

I wanted to remind you that part four is entitled "Caregivers". Caregivers airs for the first time on Tuesday, May 12 at 7 PM.

“Caregivers” is a collection of five family portraits that illustrate caring for the different stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

I was actually interviewed as a candidate for the show. One interesting aspect of the interview was that they found me via this blog.

I am really looking forward to watching all four parts. I'll be most interested to see how they handle the segment focused on Caregivers.

I am really looking forward to a show that really shows what it is like to live Alzheimer's from the Front Row. Will this be the one?

HBO usually does a great job. So, my expectations are very high. You are all invited to come here and discuss your reactions and feelings about each segment.

Subscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading Room--via Email

Bob DeMarco is a citizen journalist, blogger, and Caregiver. In addition to being an experienced writer he taught at the University of Georgia , was an Associate Director and Limited Partner at Bear Stearns, the CEO of IP Group, and a mentor. Bob currently resides in Delray Beach, FL where he cares for his mother, Dorothy, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease. He has written more than 500 articles with more than 11,000 links to his work on the Internet. His content has been syndicated on Reuters, the Wall Street Journal, Fox News, Pluck, Blog Critics, and a growing list of newspaper websites. Bob is actively seeking syndication and writing assignments.

Kindle 2: Amazon's New Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation)

Living Alzheimer's From the Front Row

I often use the term "living Alzheimer's from the front row". This term describes caregivers and others that watch Alzheimer's develop 24/7. Once the disease strikes they get to witness the craziness of it all. On one hand, you have the person suffering from Alzheimer's; on the other hand, you have the person responsible for caring for that person. Unless you are an Alzheimer's caregiver it is almost impossible to either understand or comprehend what it is like living in the front row.

Until you sit in the front row you won't be able to comprehend what it is like living in the "front row" . In the early days of caring the caregiver deals with a disease that is not only impossible to understand; they live with a disease that turns their world upside down. Imagine a person you know all or most of your life and their behavior changes--suddenly--and for the worse. This person, your loved one, begins to act out behaviors with you that you have never seen or experienced before. You want to scream at them or worse, but you come to the realization that this only makes matters worse. You cannot reason with a person suffering from Alzheimer's. They believe what they say to be true and nothing can change it.

It is difficult to describe the range of emotions a caregiver might feel or experience in a single day. Imagine being happy and then sad, caring then angry, focused then frustrated, an almost endless stream of feelings and emotions that conflict. The caregiver lives an anxiety filled life day-after- day. The caregiver nevers knows when this craziness might come to an end. They do know this uncertain fate is heart wrenching.

Most people have difficulty dealing with change. The Alzheimer's caregiver deals with change on a daily basis. Never knowing for certain what is coming, but knowing fully it is coming. Informed caregivers try to get ahead of the curve so they can get prepared for these harsh, sometimes hard to comprehend changes. Knowing that your loved one is going to forget simple things like how to brush their teeth, how to take a shower, and even how to eat is not a pleasant thought. The actual experience and feeling of helplessness cannot be described. Knowing that the day is coming when they --won't know you-- is the most horrific feeling of them all.

It isn't pleasant living in the front row. Yet, somehow we do it. Many of us for years. Trust me when I say this, if you are not living in the front row you could never imagine what it is like.

If you know a caregiver get involved. The first thing you can do is listen to them as they vent. The next thing you can do is arrange for them to get away from it all for a period of time. Hug a caregiver, I assure you it will be an experience you won't forget.

Subscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading Room--via Email

Bob DeMarco—My Profile


Also see:

A Wonderful Moment in Time--Mom dances for the first time in years

Alzheimer's and the Thyroid

A Simple Three Minute Test Can Detect the Earliest Stage of Alzheimer's disease

High cholesterol levels in your 40s raises Alzheimer's risk

Learning to Speak Alzheimer's: A Groundbreaking Approach for Everyone Dealing with the Disease